Where and when did you first think about creating Swn festival?
Huw - For me it was going to Airwaves in Reykjavik and thinking; Cardiff needs one of these. A specialist but inclusive festival that's fun, reflective, exciting and full of brilliant bands.
John - For me, it was when Huw said 'John, why don't we do something like this in Cardiff?'
What makes Cardiff a good city for this event?
Huw - Cardiff's small, with a lot of ace promoters and venues. They're close together, there's an appetitie for going to see live music, and it's the capital of Wales so folks feel natural coming here for fun.
John - There were also no music festivals going on in Cardiff AT ALL. No Electric Picnic, no Triptych, no Venn, no Reading or Leeds, no Field Day, no Great Escape, no Supersonic, no Escape Into The Park, no creamfields...
What was the highlight of last year's festival for you?
Huw - It was all amazing. Jon Clee and Casey Raymond's exhibition at g39 was good. The Cribs, Scotch Egg, Glo Bar Sunday, Yeasayer, Edwyn Collins, Kotki Dwa and Sky Larkin and oh so much more.
John - I got to see very little of the music because I was running about the whole time, but everything I saw was great. I loved the electronica night at Europa (now Dirty Sues Bar). It just went OFF! People out on the streets dancing and singing - aces.
What didn't go to plan?
Huw - The bus drivers should have looked at a map before setting off maybe. We should have had more signs up. Me and John seeing Beirut didn't go to plan, we turned up too late.
John - The film screenings didn't really work up against the music, which is why we have two whole nights of cinema on the Monday and the Tuesday in the run up to the festival instead - so you can see all the music films and then go to the gigs on the weekend.
Who are you most looking forward to seeing out of this year's line up?
Huw - Ooh, a tricky one, because i really want to see as much as possible. But, Clare Maguire, Pixel h8 (he makes music on old computer microchips), Rolo Tomassi (best live band in the world), GLC, Truckers of Husk, Golden Silvers, Micachu, Frederick Stanley Star, Prince.
John - With a good wind, I'll be seeing Golden Silvers, Clare Maguire, Legowelt, Genod Droog's last ever show, Pagan Wanderer Lu and have a sit down to play at Scrabble Swnday.
Was there anyone you were really holding out for, but didn't quite manage to get?
Huw - Not really. Everyone wanted Tv on the Radio but they weren't about.
John - No. Though if I tell you we would have had Fleet Foxes if we hadn't had to move the dates because of the rugby, would that make you hate rugby?
What's the idea behind the free seminars?
Huw - The two days, Thurs 13th (Interactive with guest speakers from Last FM, Aardman Animation etc) and Fri 14th (Music with guest speakers Sean from Drowned in Sound, me interviewing Scouting for Girls) are an addition to Swn this year. We wanted to look at things from a Welsh and music fan perspective.
John - we had a lot of interest from the UK music industry about SWN, with many A&R/label owners and the like coming down last year to check out bands. We wanted them to be able to meet more people working and living here, but also engage with Wales as a country and for them to learn about the pros and cons of working in Wales.
What's going to be different this time around (apart from the bands)?
Huw - The line ups are more varied, and the new venues - The Gate and Reardon Smith (in the National Museum in Cathays Park) are stunning additions. The seminars are a big addition for us too.
John - there's a massive line up on the Sunday. Last year we kind of fizzled the line up out - this time there's a packed schedule until the early hours of Monday morning. I keep telling people - book Monday off work! We've staggered the line ups more too, so in some places you can dive out of one venue into another to see more live music, or in places like Clwb Ifor Bach or The Gate which both have two floors, you can see bands non-stop from the moment you arrive. It will make a big difference that this is our second swn, so many people will have got used to how it worked last year and will be wanting to squeeze even more fun out of it. So we've packed more fun in.
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